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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28780545">Giving the first step</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luna_Arsenica/pseuds/Luna_Arsenica'>Luna_Arsenica</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, Shapeshifting, alternative universe, mitsuki appears just a bit, sorta kinda magical au</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 07:46:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,307</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28780545</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luna_Arsenica/pseuds/Luna_Arsenica</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Iori is bad at dealing with people, but gets along well with small animals, such as the stray cat he takes care of occasionally. He'll have to challenge himself when he starts getting worried about his crush, Nanase Tenn.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Izumi Iori/Kujou Ten</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Giving the first step</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This fic is set in an AU in which Tenn is still living with his family, is a shapeshifter, and going to the same school as Iori. No one is an idol in this AU.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"Hey hey, have you heard anything about Tenn-kun?" the president of the Student Council asks the other third year members while they wait for the rest. The name piques Iori's interest enough that he decides that, rude as it is, he'll listen in. It's not like they can start the meeting until everyone arrives, and he has nothing else to do other than look at his phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Aah, he hasn't been coming to school this week, right? I wonder if he's okay"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"It's getting colder, so maybe he's just sick"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Well, I hope it's nothing serious" the other third years exchange knowing looks before the student council president lets his voice trail off "You know, with the whole..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They avoid talking about it, of course, but Iori can easily guess they're all thinking about the rumours surrounding that person. Unfortunately for him, since the rest of the members all arrive in that moment, they don't say much more, not even as whispers, so Iori can't help but worry, as much as he wants to put all of his attention on the meeting.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Nanase Tenn, a third year student and classmate of the Student Council's president, is a charming but mysterious person, especially to Iori, who's been captivated by his voice since the first school festival he attended last year. All Iori knows about him for sure are 3 things: he's in the glee club and he's really good at singing, to the point that he could live off of it if he wanted to; he's good at everything, both academics and sports, which means he could actually go for any kind of career; and he's well liked by everyone, since, according to the third years he knows, he's always been popular because of his natural charisma and his kind demeanor (and, of course, his good looks to top it all off).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Although Iori would really like to know more about him, especially more than secondhand information and unconfirmed rumours, he barely has any chances </span>
  <em>
    <span>or</span>
  </em>
  <span> reasons to talk to him, so approaching him would be difficult and in the end he decided against it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Iori is still thinking about Tenn as he walks out of the train station on his way back home, but even distracted as he is he recognizes a white, fluffy figure and walks towards it. There's no mistake: it's the same cat he's been taking care of for almost a year now, after the day he found it hiding in that same station on a rainy day.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a quick look to his surroundings to verify that no one he knows is there, he approaches carefully and offers his hand for pets, only for it to be ignored in favour of his leg. Iori can't hold back a small smile as he picks the cat up and half-hides it in his jacket to walk the rest of the way back home like that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Once again, my apologies for not being able to adopt you properly, but my family would likely disapprove" Iori lets the cat down once he gets to his room "As always, wait here, I'll be back in a minute"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At first, Iori got lost in daydreams while preparing food for the cat, wondering what kinds he'd like better, what treats he should get for him and the like - but now, after a while of caring for him (and, especially, after finding the answers to all those questions), he concentrates on finishing as quickly as possible so no one will see him and so he can delight in the fuzzy feeling of watching the stray cat happily eating.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After feeding him, Iori invites the cat into his lap to brush his soft, fluffy hair, and internally regrets that this is the most intimate friendship he has.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I mean, I guess I don't want anyone to </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span> that I like small animals like you, but..." Iori sighs, disposing of the cat hair in the brush with practiced ease and setting it aside to pet the cat "It feels like I get along better with you than with people, whether they’re my age or not"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maybe, in some distant part of his mind, Iori feels some kind of way about that, but when this cat that has bonded with him for some time now purrs in his lap as he pets him... it doesn't feel so important.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It always warms his heart enough that by the time he paws at the door (like Iori taught him to, because scratching is rude) and Iori takes him to the front door as carefully as he took it inside, he feels recharged to tolerate the loneliness for a few months.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>--------------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hey hey, did you see Tenn-kun today?" the Student Council's president asks the other third years a few days later, on friday.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Right, he's back to school, isn't he?" another girl replies, a hand on her chest and a worried frown in her face "I heard he doesn't look too well, though..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Is it the same as always?" the other third year member of the Student Council asks, trying to lighten the mood "I mean, if it's that then he'll be fine, probably"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Honestly, the rumours Iori remembers make him worry even more than he was before when he overhears that conversation. It might be that the third year members have seen Tenn like this before and that nothing serious happened then, but Iori can't think of a reason why the things he's heard about Tenn's family (their economic problems, and how that eventually lead to him taking a part time job) should calm him down.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Of course, once again, these rumours are all he has, since he still doesn't have a reasonable excuse to check on him. As far as Iori knows, he is nothing but a stranger to Tenn, after all.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Iori spots the cat once more on his way back home that day, but the usual tender feelings that overtake him every other time they meet are replaced quickly by anxiety when he thinks he sees something wrong with the way the cat is walking. He can't help but wonder if he got into a fight or got hit by a vehicle or anything else happened and, alarmed, he picks the animal up carefully. The cat snuggles in his arms, but Iori can't think of anything other than rushing back home to the point he barely even greets his family when he arrives.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He opens the door in a rush and leaves the cat in his bed delicately, brushes him kindly, checking thoroughly if he's hurt. When he finds nothing wrong, Iori takes a deep breath and sighs.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Are you really fine, after all...? Sorry about that" Iori smiles softly and pets the cat before finally letting his body relax "I'm just too tense, I was probably exaggerating..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Iori feels the cat's purrs in his hand for a second, turning his thoughts this way and the other in his head. He plops down on his bed and lets the cat nest in his chest, laughing a bit about his capricious personality that takes advantage of every inch Iori gives him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You know, it's just... I don't even know how to say this" Iori isn't even looking at the cat, his gaze fixated on the ceiling of his room, but even so he feels so embarrassed he can't find the words. Is he really going to tell this to a cat? Is he </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> this lonely...?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The need to take this off his chest ends up being stronger than the need to preserve his dignity, and Iori lets out the longest, most ‘dramatic teenager-y’ sigh of his life as he decides to open up for once.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"There's someone I like, and they've been looking... unwell lately, too, but there's nothing I can do for them" Iori pets the cat in an attempt to chase away the bitter feelings, and the purrs of the cat in his chest manage to soothe him enough to make him smile even as he comments "I'd love to take care of them the way I care for you"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Take care of who?" Mitsuki opens the door suddenly and laughs when Iori, completely flustered, hides the cat clumsily under his bed's covers and squeals a barely discernible </span>
  <em>
    <span>'nii-san!'</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Sorry, sorry" Mitsuki tries his best not to double down in laughter, holding his stomach as he waves a hand in Iori's direction. Iori hides his face in a pillow, frustrated and embarrassed, but Mitsuki rolls his eyes and tells him off "But you know, you shouldn't be so shy! If you're worried about a friend you should just tell them!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Iori can only make a little noise that he himself doesn't know how to describe or interpret and barely moves the pillow away from his face enough to look at Mitsuki as he reminds him "I don't have any friends and you know it, nii-san"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"But you could if you reach out to someone out of kindness, see?" Mitsuki moves over to Iori's bed and sits beside him just to ruffle his hair, smiling brightly as he offers "If that person isn't feeling well, why not make a good meal to share? Come on, I'll help!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Iori smiles shyly and nods, and Mitsuki lets him calm down a bit before asking "What are you gonna do about that little friend?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Ah, don't worry, he'll leave on his own when feels like it" Iori gets a bit nervous when he remembers Mitsuki wasn't supposed to see, but since he doesn't seem to be mad about it, he lifts the covers to let the cat out of there and asks "Do you want to go home?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Well, if it's just for a little while it should be okay" Mitsuki gets up and offers Iori a hand, clearly in high spirits "I'll help you clean later, let's go"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In the end, the cat decides to stick around a bit longer for some food, but once they start assembling it in two bento boxes he walks nonchalantly to the front door, making Iori panic a bit and forcing Mitsuki to rush behind them to distract their parents nervously while Iori lets the cat out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Nanase-senpai" Iori gathers his resolve and calls out to Tenn. Now that he finally decided to approach him, he can't fail, so he steels himself and speaks the words he practiced beforehand "I'm sorry if I'm being presumptuous, but I couldn't help but overhear my senpai from the Student Council mention that you're not feeling well lately"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Ah. Did I make you worry, Izumi-kun?" Tenn looks up at Iori from his seat and smiles kindly "It's really not a big deal, sorry"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"It's not a problem for me at all. I might be your kouhai, but if there's anything I could help you with, I want you to count on me, senpai" Iori can feel his heartbeat accelerate, but he tries to look as calm as possible as he leaves the bento box in Tenn's desk "By now, I can start by offering you this"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tenn looks at the bento box, then back at Iori, and smiles warmly for a split second before addressing Iori again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Did you make this yourself?" Tenn's smile and voice are both coquettish, to the point Iori would think he's being teased if he didn't know any better.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Iori considers telling him that Mitsuki helped for a second, but then remembers his brother telling him to be honest and he knows if he says it he'll push all the kindness of the act on Mitsuki and pretend he doesn't care - which is exactly the opposite to what he's trying to do here. So, even if he can feel his face flushing, he doesn't say anything and only nods.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Well, I have no choice then. As long as we eat it together, I mean" Tenn looks happy, but also so smug Iori has to hold back from yelling or saying something mean in retort, out of habit. Once again he remembers Mitsuki telling him that he won't ever get anywhere with anyone if he keeps pushing them away to encourage himself to just... go along with the invitation, like a normal person.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"If that's what it takes" in the end, that's the best Iori can do to not be antagonizing, and he almost pats himself for the self-control "Where should we go?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I always eat my lunch here, so if you don't mind that..." Tenn gestures at the empty seat in front of his desk, and Iori sits down.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He feels nervous, and the silence that develops while they eat doesn't help at all. Iori tries not to let his feelings show too much but he can't help stealing glances at Tenn occasionally, relieved to see how much he seems to enjoy the food.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Actually, there's something only you can do that would help me a lot" Tenn speaks up suddenly, and Iori is surprised but glad to hear that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Is that so? What could it be?" Iori tries not to sound too desperate, but he isn't sure he managed it, his eyes widening unconsciously.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Without any semblance of hesitation, Tenn moves a lock of hair away from Iori's face and smiles a smile that is </span>
  <em>
    <span>definitely</span>
  </em>
  <span> flirty this time "Go out with me"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"W-where?" Iori can't hide the nervousness in his voice, but he thinks Tenn is, most certainly, asking him to hang out, and maybe being a tease is just his way to be friendly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I mean as in, date me" Tenn laughs, mischievous and charming, like his words didn't just disarm Iori completely.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"What" Iori barely manages to speak and when he does his voice comes out so tiny he barely hears it himself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"What" Tenn, on the contrary, sounds </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> nonchalant, smiling like he did nothing strange.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"How would that even help you?" Iori is mad, at least 90% sure that Tenn </span>
  <em>
    <span>has to be</span>
  </em>
  <span> pulling his leg.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Well, I don't know how much you know about it because I heard there's lots of rumours about my family situation," Tenn shrugs, and Iori feels a bit bad when he hears him say that because it's true that he doesn't really know </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything</span>
  </em>
  <span> first hand, but the person himself doesn't seem to care that much when he explains "but the truth is actually that my brother is ill and, sometimes, he has to spend the night at the hospital"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Ah. I'm sorry..." Iori feels bad for him </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> for misjudging him, already guessing what Tenn is getting at, but, more than ever before, he isn't sure what to say.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Thanks for worrying, but he's not doing that bad lately. It's just that because of some incidents in the past, my parents don't want him to be all alone at night there, and neither do I," Tenn smiles, in a way that seems sad, warm, bittersweet but also very patient "Since my parents have to work, I stay with him every time he has to be hospitalized, so sometimes I'm late for school or decide not to come at all"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Iori is silent, trying to process the information and just a bit baffled at how Tenn explains it like something that should make him worry less, but actually is worse than the rumours he'd heard.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"That sounds terrible, senpai. I'm sorry, but I still don't understand how I could help by..." Iori is still confused, but also embarrassed, so much that can't even bring himself to say it himself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Isn't it obvious? I like you" Tenn confesses straightforwardly, apparently confused himself that Iori isn't aware of those feelings "Being with you always cheers me up when I'm stressed, so I want to get closer to you"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Excuse me?" Iori can't believe what he's hearing - he doesn't remember spending a single significant moment with Tenn, </span>
  <em>
    <span>ever</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The few times he had to talk to him, mostly to ask if a member of the Student Council from his class was in school that day, Iori had always been short and to the point, almost curt out of shyness. He can't imagine how Tenn would feel de-stressed by that instead of feeling pushed away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Well, we're not closer because you don't want to, I'd say" Tenn sounds cheeky, but also a bit frustrated, a blank expression in his face replacing his usual smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I really don't know what you're talking about, Nanase-senpai"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> don't know who I am" Tenn opens his eyes wide, actually surprised rather than annoyed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Iori hasn't been in control of his expressions for a while now so he wouldn't know, but he thinks he must look very confused as he hears that, because his reaction makes Tenn sigh and shake his head in disbelief.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I expected better from you, Izumi-kun. Are you only book smart?" Tenn scolds him, looking more tired than the past weeks "Especially considering shapeshifters aren't even that strange nowadays"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Tenn turns into the same white, fluffy cat Iori's been taking care of for almost a year, he feels shocked and so ashamed he wants to run away, but Tenn follows him meowing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Iori finally stops once he's on the stairs to the rooftop, but he doesn't turn to look at Tenn, still too flustered to face him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You're unfair, senpai" Iori tries to stay calm but feels so embarrassed he probably fails at it "You knew how I feel but you never said anything..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Well, every time I tried to talk to you, you were so cold it annoyed me" Tenn returns to his human form and shrugs as he walks closer to Iori.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Iori can feel his stomach lurch and he pretty much flinches at the words, realizing once again that Mitsuki was right - there </span>
  <em>
    <span>are</span>
  </em>
  <span> people who want to be with him, he's just pushing them away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tenn locks eyes with Iori for a second, probably feeling his distress, before closing the distance between them with a kiss. It's very short, barely a brush of lips for barely a second, but Iori can feel his heart jumping for far longer than that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Why didn't you ask before doing that?" Iori hisses when Tenn pulls away, pretty offended but mostly just shy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Was that your first kiss?" Tenn teases him, and Iori doesn't say anything but everything about him screams it is, making Tenn chuckle before offering "Okay, so how about we pretend nothing happened and you give the first step this time? Will that make you feel better?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I wanted to make </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> feel better!" Iori yells, more than a bit frustrated, but Tenn just laughs lightly. Iori sighs at this, at the way that laugh makes him feel now that he's the one causing it, now that he's not looking at it from afar but a few centimeters of distance only. He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, making sure his voice won't come out shaky when he speaks up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I like you, Nanase-senpai. Please go out with me"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Okay"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Iori glares at the nonchalance of Tenn for a whole second, indignated at how easily he received the feelings he had such a hard time putting to words, but he still kisses his smug smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He tries not to be overly nervous so he can enjoy it, and he does, as much as he can feel his hands shaking. Tenn holds them for him as soon as he notices, and Iori lets his heart beat loudly for a moment before squeezing his hands back.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<span>Though this wasn't the outcome Iori was expecting this morning (or even the day before when he prepared the bento box </span>
  <strike>
    <span>and his heart</span>
  </strike>
  <span>), and even if it goes against everything he knew about romance and love, this is the story of how Iori got himself a boyfriend.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This was written as a gift for luna_yumizuki for the Secret Santa exchange at twitter. Hope you like it!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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